Here’s some disturbing news for console gamers. GamesIndustry.biz has learned that the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions of NBA 2k21 will cost $69.99, which seems to suggest that next-gen titles will be priced $10 higher than the current $59.99 standard. Evidently, the basketball title isn’t merely an outlier, as other game publishers are considering raising game prices across the board.
“The last time that next-gen launch software pricing went up was in 2005 and 2006, when it went from $49.99 to $59.99 at the start of the Xbox 360 and PS3 generation,” pointed out IDG President and CEO Yoshio Osaki.
“Even with the increase to $69.99 for next-gen, that price increase from 2005 to 2020 next-gen is only up 17%, far lower than the other comparisons. While the cost of development and publishing have gone up, and pricing in other entertainment verticals has also gone up substantially, next-gen software pricing has not reflected these increases. $59.99 to $69.99 does not even cover these other cost increases completely, but does move it more in the proper direction.”
Would you pay $69.99 for a flagship title? Or will you just wait a few months for the inevitable sale?